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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. degree — an amount
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. can — a tin
  17. tear — from crying
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. degree — from a university
  22. can — to be able to
  23. chip — to eat
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com